Song Of Heavenly Flowers
by SiriusRemus Chick
Summary: Legolas and Gimli are travelling when they meet two of Legolas's childhood friends.


**Song of Heavenly Flowers  
_Quest for the Light  
_****By Leilani Aria aka Laterose's Song aka Rebecca**

**Disclaimer: **The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. All the characters that aren¹t recognized are mine. The first song in this fanfic is mine and the second one is Reflection by Christina Aguilera.  
**Author¹s Notes: **This takes place after The Ring has been destroyed and Sauron has been defeated. This is an AU story and contains several different pairings. Sorry for any overlooked mistakes. All of the rude remarks Aracelis says are the courtesy of my best friend. I understand that there might be a little problem understanding the ages. Here is the order of the main characters from oldest to youngest:

Kekoa, (-2 months) Aracelis, (-10 months) Legolas, (-2 months) Leilani Aria

And it all begins....

  
Two figures followed the companions from the trees, never making a single sound. Silent and graceful, they leaped from limb to limb in Fangorn. Legolas the Elf and Gimli the Dwarf were oblivious to the strangers that followed in their midst.  
  
Aracelis¹ short hair fluttered in the gentle breeze and her blue eyes gazed through the tree branches, always alert. The other elf maiden, Leilani Aria, stood behind her sister, her soft violet orbs dancing about; long blonde hair flowed passed her shoulders, bouncing to and fro when she moved.  
Legolas trod carefully on the forest floor with Gimli following close behind. Gimli opened his mouth to say something but the elf held up his hand, motioning for him to stay quiet. "Shhh. Can't you hear it?" Gimli cocked an eyebrow.  
"Can I hear it? Hear what?"  
"Someone's close by…I can hear them. They¹re in the trees!"  
Gimli shot Legolas a side glance before averting his gaze to the tree tops. Everything was still...and quiet. But the dwarf knew that Legolas' senses were far greater and keener than his own so he wielded the axe that he always carried. In only a few quick movements, Legolas had an arrow notched to the bowstring and pulled it back until it was taut. Taking careful aim, he released the arrow and it zipped up to the trees. No noise followed.  
The arrow did not reach its target. Instead, Aracelis caught it before it caused any damage. She twirled it through her fingers then attached it to her own bow, letting it fly when the time was right. The arrow buried itself an inch in front of Legolas' feet. The duo could barely hear the laughter of the maidens that rang from the tree limbs.  
Legolas frowned and yanked the arrow from the ground, inspecting it to see if it was damaged. He put it back in the quiver afterward, thankful that it wasn't broken or harmed in any way. Gimli, though, was on the verge of losing his temper, not happy that they were stopped from their journey and being made fun of, muttering under his breath. He shook the axe at the treetops where the laughter could be heard from.  
Leilani Aria was shaking with helpless mirth. Unexpectedly, though, she began to loose her balance! All laughter and happiness was drained from her and replaced with fear. She waved her arms around, trying to recover her balance but failed. The elf maiden did the only thing she could do: jump. Before Aracelis could grab her, she fell through the tree branches, towards the ground. Branches and small limbs snapped as she fell, scraping her, only mildly though.  
Legolas, ever on guard, saw this and quickly took position to catch the falling girl. Leilani Aria landed safely in his arms. Aracelis breathed a sigh of relief before leaping down to the ground, taking her place in front of Legolas, pointing accusingly at him with a look of anger. "Unhand my sister, you pervert!" Aracelis took a fighting stance, ready to attack if Legolas didn't do as she said.  
Leilani Aria hurried out of his grip, immediately placing herself between the two, hoping that her sister wouldn't really do anything dangerous, which she was known for doing so in certain events. But, Aracelis straightened back up, a light expression written on her face. "Nah, I'm not gonna hurt you this time. Besides, you saved Lei Aria." Leilani Aria crossed her arms, not really surprised at Aracelis' new behaviour.  
Gimli struck the ground with his axe. "So there isn't going to be a fight, huh?" Aracelis shook her head and replied, mockingly.  
"No, not really. I don't wanna kill blondy yet," Aracelis snickered but smiled innocently at the same time. Her remark caused Leilani Aria to giggle.  
Legolas eyed the two elves, taking in every detail. Both girls were dressed in similar clothing: brown and green leather cloth. Aracelis stood a few inches over Leilani Aria, giving an older sister appearance, although not much. Their light blonde hair was decorated with two long braids that tied at the back of their heads with a single flower: a blue pansy for Aracelis and a lilac for Leilani Aria. The younger elf¹s hair had pink and purple ribbons weaved in and out of it, trailing to her feet. Aracelis, however, preferred blue and green feathers for hair decoration. They were both bare-footed and radiated an outcast aura.  
  "What are you two doing out in these parts of the woods?" Legolas asked cautiously. Before Aracelis could answer, Leilani Aria piped up with a rather _rude_ remark.  
"We enjoy stalking stupid blonde male elves and short, fat dwarves!"  
Aracelis pulled her back and whispered in her ear, "That short, fat dwarf has a big, sharp axe. Do you want that big, sharp axe to meet your neck?" The elf shook her head, letting her hair fly.  
"Just so you know, I'm Legolas of Mirkwood and this short, fat dwarf is Gimli." Legolas' eyes seemed to have a piercing gaze and the frown he carried deepened. Aracelis noticed his expression and adopted a worried face.  
"What's the matter?" she asked, teasingly. Legolas just shook his head slowly and continued walking onward. Gimli soon followed behind him, axe still at hand. Aracelis watched them for a moment in silence, which was interrupted shortly after. "By the way, I'm Aracelis and this is my sister, Leilani Aria. Uh, where are we going, anyway?"  
The elf turned around, glaring, stopping in his tracks. "_You _aren't going _anywhere_ with _us_." And with that, he stormed away with Gimli close behind. The two elf sisters stood there for only a moment before slowly following.  
Aracelis pulled Leilani Aria closer and said, "He can't stand us, now, can he."  
  
Several hours passed and Legolas and Gimli found themselves in a small clearing, preparing camp. They had settled down and snacked on food they had found earlier and were now dozing by a small fire, the sky darkening by the minute.  
Aracelis guided Leilani Aria to the camp and they sat down, resting. She winked at Leilani Aria and began to tootle loudly on her reed flute, still keeping a tune and the younger elf maiden sang out in the elf tongue.

**_"Face to face  
Smile after smile  
Since you've been gone  
None of my dreams are worthwhile  
  
Dream to dream  
Heart to heart  
It seems my world is loosing  
Ever since our part  
  
I can't live my destiny  
I can't live without you  
I just want you to be with me  
So why can't we be  
  
Just to be with you  
Is a dream come true  
Tender like a flower  
We can have a special power."_**

  
Gimli awakened, drowsy, not in the best of moods. "Keep that confounded noise to a minimum, will you!" He kicked Legolas slightly, rousing the elf. "Your friends are making a lot of ruckus. Shuttem up."  
Legolas got to his feet, fed up with the so-called "entertainment". Before he could leave, though, Aracelis grabbed his arm, tugging it. "I need to talk to you. It's important." Legolas saw the serious expression on her face and let her lead him away from the clearing.  
Aracelis took a breath before beginning. "Legolas..." She paused, as if she were unsure of what to say, then continued. "I'm sorry I was being a jerk to you but I just haven't seen you in such a long time. I had to joke around, besides, I was seeing my old best friend, what would you expect…" Aracelis trailed off when she noted Legolas' silent confusion. "You don't even remember me, do you!" she exclaimed. "Doesn't the name Aracelis ring a bell?"  
"I only have the faintest memory of that name. I can hardly recall it." Legolas' solemn face was now troubled and that made Aracelis uneasy.  
"Do you remember when we were young? In our childhood days, we were the best of friends, always playing together and acting goofy. Then...we sort of drifted apart. Don't you remember?" The shake of a head was the only answer she received. Tears welled in her eyes and she lowered her head to hide her disappointment. Legolas put a comforting hand on her shoulder, sensing her feelings.  
Aracelis rubbed her hand across her eyes, drying the tears. She turned around, lifting up the cloth that covered her back. There was a scare, shaped like a rough sketch of a heart. After a few minutes, she turned back around.  
Legolas was just standing there, baffled. His eyes seemed like they were searching for something unknown. He concentrated hard, leaving the world to enter the realms of dreams and memories. He thought long, swaying back and forth until exclaiming, "You fell! When we were climbing that tree, you lost your footing and fell." Aracelis' eyes lit up and she threw herself at him, embracing him in a hug, crying and laughing at the same time.  
"You're right! I can't believe you remember!" She was smiling ear to ear, radiating happiness and joy. Aracelis moved away, though, taking his hands and walking back to the clearing. Now she felt a lot better! She looked up and suddenly asked, "You remember me but do you remember Lei Aria?" He shook his head and she sighed. "Figures, she didn't want to play with us even from the beginning."

_Flashback_

_  
Aracelis grabbed Leilani Aria's hands, pulling her towards the towering trees. "Come on, let's go play with Legolas!" However, Leilani Aria pulled away, withdrawing immediately. Aracelis tilted her head and sighed, running off to play. Leilani Aria watched silently as she left, a distant look in her eyes.  
She wandered away, walking sluggishly until she came to a garden. She sat down, surrounded by flowers, small trees, plants, and other greens. In her hands, she held a parchment and a stick of charcoal. She began to draw, only looking up when she was in need of inspiration.  
She sighed longingly, realizing how different she was from everyone else. She had a secret that no one knew…and she wasn't going to tell anyone yet. She was an outcast, always separated from the others. Maybe it was because she liked being alone. But no matter what she told herself, she knew she would always be one thing: a prisoner of depression. She was depressed, even psychotic. But no one knew. She hid it from everyone.  
As she drew, she began to sing to herself in her native language. Her voice, as others had said, was like an angel's kiss: soft, tender, gentle, and loving. She didn't fully believe it, though. She couldn't. She couldn't believe in anything about herself. Leilani Aria felt like her whole life, purpose, and destiny was only a lie. But she sang._

**_"Look at me  
You may think you see  
Who I really am  
But you¹ll never know me  
Every day  
It¹s as if I play a part  
Now I see  
If I were a mask  
I can fool the world  
But I can't fool my heart  
  
Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside  
  
I am now  
In a world where I  
Have to hide my heart  
And what I believe in  
But somehow  
I will show the world  
What's inside my heart  
And be loved for who I am  
  
Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me  
Why is my reflection   
Someone I don't know  
  
Must I pretend that I'm  
Someone else  
For all time  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside  
  
There's a heart that must be free to fly  
That burns with the need to know the reason why  
  
Why must we all conceal  
What we think  
How we feel  
Must there be a secret me  
I¹m forced to hide  
I won't pretend that I¹m  
Someone else  
For all time  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside."_**

**_  
_**_Leilani Aria looked down at her picture and smiled slightly, impressed with the results. She saw a young girl standing by the shore, waves lapping at her feet, as she throw the flowers she held in her hands into the water. It was her...it was her reflection of who she was inside._

_End of Flashback_

_  
_Leilani Aria sat Indian style by the fire, poking it at random times with the point of an arrow. Her chin was resting in one hand as the reflection of the crackling fire danced in her violet-hued eyes with a glum expression on her face. Her head popped up when she heard her sister and the elf return. She had to admit, she was _a little_ jealous when they had left but she kept it bottled up, as usual.  
Gimli had somehow fallen back asleep. It didn't really surprise her, though, and she couldn't blame him. He _did_ have a long walk earlier so she didn't question it at all. Besides, she could live with a quick nap any day!  
Deciding to cause discomfort, she called out to the two elves, slyly, "So...where did you two go? Or should I say, what were you two doing?" Aracelis snorted and plopped down by her, bringing Legolas down with her.  
  "We went down memory lane," she said sarcastically.  
  
Night drew in shortly after and everyone bid the others goodnight and soon, everyone was asleep. Leilani Aria couldn't sleep, though. She continuously gazed over at Aracelis and Legolas, hints of jealousy and envy flickering in her eyes. She rolled over onto her stomach, fingering the hem of the sheet she was laying on. Her eyes absentmindedly wandered to the trees surrounding the clearing. She couldn't help but feel scared. Even psychotic. She shuddered visibly. What was out there? What was watching them? Or..._who_ was watching them? She adjusted her position so she could curl up, wanting to hide from the unknown that lurked in the darkness. She shut her eyes closed tight, trying to block the voices and the images of the unknown things that weren't really there. _"Join ussss…" _the voices hissed. _"Come to our world of darknessss and doooom..."_  
And urge inside her mind told her to seek out comfort. Maybe she should wake Aracelis up...but she was a _deep_ sleeper. Gimli was completely worn out, why would she bother him? What about....Legolas? Would he offer her the comfort she longed for and dreadfully needed? Surely not...definitely not, right? She cuddled up closer in the small blankets they used for warmth. Her eyes remained as slits and she drifted off into the land of dreams, still uneasy and scared.  
She awoke in the middle of the night. For the past hours, she had been merely dozing or sleeping lightly, just to wake up to the odd sounds of the woods. It made her anxious, to say the least, maybe even paranoid. Gathering all the possible courage she could find inside her, she scooted over, taking her place beside Legolas, almost immediately feeling comfort. The maiden rested her head on his chest, welcoming sleep gratefully now.  
  
Aracelis was the first to awaken the next morning. She had to stifle her laughter at the sight of her sister and Legolas. Carefully, she tiptoed over to the sleeping Gimli and shook him awake. They remained silent, watching the two sleeping elves. Gesturing for Gimli to follow, Aracelis moved away and snuck off through the surrounding trees. The elf and dwarf watched from a distance, waiting for them to awaken with utter amusement.  
The wait didn't last for long. Legolas stirred and had to hide his shock when he noticed the maiden that was slightly draped over him. His movements, though, woke Leilani Aria up. She blinked several times before processing through her mind what was going on. Feeling rather embarrassed, she quickly shifted herself and backed away. Blood rushed to her pale cheeks and she decided to busy herself. The only thing to do was…was...there was _nothing_ for her to do. She lowered her head. "Sorry..." she muttered, barely audible. Legolas only shrugged, taking the situation lightly.  
He shouldered the quiver of arrows and placed his bow in his hands. Standing up, he set off towards the woods. "I'm going to find some food. Stay put and don't wander off," he ordered, calling back over his shoulder. Leilani Aria nodded and stayed still. She yawned slightly.  
"How boring…" she said to herself. Using her finger tips, she doodled on the ground, drawing nonsense figures and funny looking people. She continued doing just that for at least ten minutes. The sun had rose and its rays parted through the tree limbs, showering on the lone elf.

_THEN THEY STRUCK!_

  
Monsters...winged monsters...hundreds of them! A cross between a bird, lizard, and human, you could say. They had the figure of male humans, but instead of skin, they had greenish grey scales and long, think, leathery tails. Sprouting from their backs, two magnificent wings spread out wide, casting long and dark shadows. They were clad in black tunics. It seemed as if they had appeared out of nowhere!  
Leilani Aria had no time to scream or shout for help. She bound together immediately by a tough rope and gagged by a strip of cloth. Aracelis just had enough time to jump up, only to find herself yelling at air. The creatures were gone...with Leilani Aria, too!! Hot blood raced through her veins as she stormed back to the clearing like a torpedo, with Gimli in her wake. Her blue eyes were wide with anger and rage. She screamed in disbelief, letting her temper run wild. "They took her!! They took Lei Aria!!!" Anger soon turned to sorrow and she wept, unashamed.  
Gimli had already made up his mind. "I'll go and search the woods for any clues of who took your sister." The dwarf left afterwards, not wanting to bother or upset Aracelis. With any luck, he would return with some news.  
Legolas had heard the shouting and swiftly ran back to the clearing, puzzled at the sudden anguished atmosphere. Aracelis was crying bitterly, muttering curses under her breath. Legolas didn't need to ask what went amiss. He examined the footprints on the ground, which the monsters had left behind. Even he didn't know what kind of creature would leave such tracks. He sighed, defeated at the moment.  
It took awhile for Aracelis to regain her senses. Legolas made her repeat everything she saw over and over again. He couldn't help but state his thoughts out loud. "What bothers me is why did they take her for no reason? If we had trespassed on their territory, they would have attacked earlier. I'm afraid they might have something planned..." He trailed off when Aracelis gave him an icy glare. She _didn't_ want to know what they might have planned for Leilani Aria.  
"For all I know, they might be conducting some sick experiment and decided to use my sister as the guinea pig," she said harshly. Aracelis did _not_ like the idea of some unknown monsters using Leilani Aria as an object in an experiment _one bit_. Fury burned in her eyes and she sought out revenge in her heart. She forced down her anger, though, for a moment to review the facts. "Well, Gimli left to see if anyone in these parts knows of these hybrid monsters. I suppose that's a good thing."  
Legolas had completed his search of the clearing and was unsuccessful. No hints or clues whatsoever. The two elves gathered the remainder of they supplies and decided to press onward and look as well. Maybe, with luck, they would find something that would lead them in the right direction.  
  
Leilani Aria was scared to the limit. She was hanging by her hands on a metal stake, constantly being pestered by her captors. The language of the creatures were mixtures of hisses and caws but they often lapsed into the human tongue. The elf had learned that the bird-lizard-human creatures were called Tokaringen (pronounced Toh-kay-ren-jeen) and she had the most fun time trying to figure out just how to say it. The leader, or master, of the Tokaringen tribe was called Shigoush and he took a great interest in the young maiden with long blonde hair. He enjoyed touching the poor soul, especially her silky hair, which he admired. She grimaced at the touch, feeling dirty and wasted. But she somehow put up with it.  
The elf took stock of her surroundings. The area was up high, actually floating in thin air. The Tokaringen loved heights so they built their home in the sky. But the sight was revolting. The entire land was a waste dump, covered in litter, trash, junk, and grit. It looked like nothing was alive, except the Tokaringen, of course. The only thing that stood above all else was a grand palace. It was neat and clean, surprisingly. She figured that it was where Powerful and Mighty, aka Shigoush, spent most of his time in. Her place was to the left of the gigantic doors of the palace, where she hung, dangling by her hands, which were now tired and sore.  
Her appearance was not something she would have been proud of at that time. Before, they had made sport of her, beating her and ripping her garments, exposing her to the others. But the thing that constantly bothered her was what they were going to do with her?  
She looked up and groaned as dark clouds drew in. A single raindrop fell on her nose before several others splattered around her. A few turned to hundreds and then to millions. Lightning struck across the sky like a hot knife through butter and thunder rolled with tremendous sound. And there she stayed while being pelted by water.  
The shuffling of feet snapped her out of her imagination and she turned her head in the direction of the sounds. "Oh, great..." she muttered, not happy at the cause of the noise. Two Tokaringen guards had been sent outside and were now standing at either side of her. What surprised her, though, was when they took the sharp blades they carried and began to hack at the ropes that bound her hands together. She called to them in a hoarse scream. "What are you doing?!?"  
One looked at her with dark brown eyes and replied simply, "Master's orders. You are to be treated as a guest here." Leilani Aria's face shone with puzzlement and she let out a small yelp as she fell, released from the bonds. The two guards caught her easily, keeping her from hitting the ground. No matter how much she struggled, they managed to carry her through the doors and into the palace. Then, she was taken to a room where she could bathe and change into clean clothing.  
A young female hobbit, maybe only eleven years old, entered the room shortly after the guards left. The hobbit was short and rough looking. She held out a bundle of garments to Leilani Aria. "Master said that you are to look decent for the feast that will be held at noon. Be there early." She nodded politely and left, afterward, leaving Leilani Aria in the room alone.  
She took her time as she bathed, letting the soup and shampoo soak in before rinsing. She wrapped herself in a soft towel, drying and brushing her hair. After being completely clean and dry, the elf maiden unfolded the bundle carefully, revealing a long, flowing dress. Her eyes went wide with awe and amazement. The dress was made out of pink silk and was bordered with lace that was lilac hued. She dropped the towel and put the dress on. It went up to her collar bone and had no sleeves, showing her shoulders. She spun around several times, watching the folds of the dress spread out and fly around her. Maybe she would have a different opinion about her captors after all.  
  
Aracelis was running in a fast sprint until Legolas told her to slow down. "We can't overlook anything. At your pace, you will have missed many hints," he stated. Aracelis was stubborn at first but finally agreed. Legolas held up a feather and waved it in front of her face. "I found this awhile back. It fitted the description of the creatures' wing feathers perfectly," Legolas said, calmly. "I believe we are going in the right direction." A small smile spread on his lips and he gestured to the right. "We should go that way instead. These monsters aren't flying straight, they are changing their position frequently. But their feathers aren't in the best condition so they fell out easily. There are more tracks over in that direction." Aracelis couldn't argue, Legolas was right.  
They changed their direction and started off fresh, walking briskly and finding feathers scattered about, all leading in the same ways as the sun rose higher and higher. A new light of hope burned brightly and they were more confident than before, especially Aracelis. Hours passed and they continued searching.  
  
Leilani Aria checked the position of the sun one last time before heading towards the dining area. Earlier, the same hobbit came to talk and gave her the directions to the room. Leilani Aria didn't know where to go at first and was thankful the hobbit maid told her everything she needed to know. She soon arrived at a pair of decorated door and opened them wide. She entered quickly, a sudden hush falling upon the ones that were already seated. During the uncomfortable silence, she paused and looked around, confused. She was rescued by the hobbit, though, who led her to the seat to the right of Shigoush. The silence broke then and everything seemed normal. Although the food had not been served yet, different kinds of entertainment was enjoyed: dancing, singing, performing, and other arts. However, the only entertainment and audience were males. The only female Leilani Aria noticed, besides herself, was the hobbit, who did not join the table but stayed to the side, ready to serve when she was needed. She sank in her seat, feeling out of place.  
All activity stopped, though, when Shigoush stood up and communicated in the Tokaringen language. The young hobbit gave Leilani Aria an uneasy glance, seeming to understand what was being said. The elf sank lower in her seat, wanting to disappear. What was going on? 


End file.
